Soak up the Sun

State 44- Washington 

6/7/2025

Green River Marathon 

4:13

(Technically 5th overall, 1st for women …)

It has been a while since I’ve done spring marathon training.  I tend to keep up with weekly double digit runs in general but on the lower end of 10-12.   I love turning my remaining states into family vacations and I also do not want to pull Sophia from school so it’s about finding remaining marathons in states and times that are long weekends/summer which can be a challenge.

Perhaps some of the remaining states will not be family vacations …but for now … they are. 

We had narrowed it down to an Utah marathon and a Seattle marathon to combine the family vacation.  Seattle got the winning vote. 

 …once Tina relocates to salt lake, we will have my wonderful Greek family AND friends to visit.

My social running continues to increase - not like how it was in my 20s and even 30s but it has been nice!

Between Linnea and Reena as my regulars, getting both Sarah Kay and Christine to join me by bike, and one of my newest friends(tho I feel like we had to have had our paths cross since our teens and into college), Kat.  

My favorite long runs were my 18 miler in Palm Springs, early enough to watch the sunrise and not too hot to finish it off but sunny, my first 20 miler where Linnea met up at 4:30am and we ran in the dark until the sun was up  and Sarah Kay joined by bike for the second half with my strong 8 minute mile kick it at the end, and my 22 miler where it was overcast and cooler and Kat joined for the middle portion.  

The last 20 was tougher but also happy to have had Christine join me on the bike for part of it.   

All of my ‘bad’ runs were in hotter weather than my body was ready for  … which is probably why summer training when the heats are horribly high and your body gets used to that with fall races as it’s cooling off … can yield positive results.  Or conversely-  when you train cooler and race hotter … it’s an element of an extra challenge to slow you down.  And that’s why race day I was able to remember this and keep in happy spirits through the race.

In general, since January, I’ve been running in the super early mornings before Sophia wakes up.  I forgot how much I love sunrise runs and running in the dark!  Especially when there are Christmas lights still up and when I’m with friends.  

I have been doing my best to just be on a maintenance program with Dr Sabrina but there was a stretch of needing her two times a week. My lower back was pinching something that was making me think I had hip issues!   Stretching only made it worse until after the first two adjustments then I was back on track to having yoga/stretching help.   I was feeling great until taper time then that final week my glutes/hamstrings got super tight!   I couldn’t get into dr Sabrina right away so I got a massage which helped a ton and helped me understand it was my right glute that had the most pain - I managed two adjustments just before my race and dr Sabrina taped up my back. With that and the dynamic stretches dr Sabrina gives me for my lower back issues - it wasn’t a bother by the start of the race (though the airplane ride was another story of lower back discomfort … getting old is so much fun!)

The race was 2 weeks after Sophia wrapped up 1st grade.  It was such a great year/transition to public school.   She made so many wonderful friends and managed to keep in touch with her McA friends.  She had a great group of girl friends for the talent show where I benefited in making friends with the moms. The last week of school they gave me a wonderful pre race surprise of goodies/note/flowers, and they all definitely joined me in spirit!

The Green River marathon is a smaller race.   It has an ultra marathon feel to it. And it is technically free with a $20 donation benefiting the northwest harvest.  It is also no frills. No medals no shirts no race chips.  Also, the start time is fluid.  8am was the official start time, with 7 am and 6 am options and honor system if you started before this time.  There is so much to be said about a race being so inclusive, it’s the opposite of how I feel the 50 states marathon club is like.  It doesn’t have that stuck up (insecure?) vibe like only if you run a marathon under x y z conditions, are you worthy of being included.   When I signed up (after my 22 mile run), I was the 9th person to sign up, first woman.   If nobody else signed up, this race might not be eligible for the 50 states marathon club.  But as I’ve mentioned before, I don’t care if I’m in the club or not - this is a personal goal and i don’t need a club to complete the goal.  

I believe 28 people were signed for the full marathon  up by race day - (and 21 finished) so it technically still falls under the 50 stares rules. 

It used to be a Boston qualifier marathon but around Covid they stopped going through their certification process.   It is one of the only races that my watch lined up with the mileage - so it’s my opinion it is more suitable to be a Boston qualifier than most.

It was an out and back to complete 4 times.

Now an out and back 4 times … not even a loop - is a whole different challenge.  But then again it was in Seattle - or in Kent - and it was mostly along the river, as flat as you can get in the area - vs Seattle in general - is like San Francisco hilly. So the mental challenge was the trade off for no big hills.

I really focused on the family vacation part of this trip.  We enjoyed a few day drinks the day before, we did all the walking and sight seeing for a few days before … so I didn’t think much about the race until after dinner Friday night. 

I was originally going to start at the main start time of 8am but then there was a heat advisory, and I decided to get out to the race earlier and made it for the 7am start.   I’m so happy for this and perhaps the 6am start would have been even better- but- I do love soaking up the sun!

I took a 20 minute Uber to the start where in 5 minutes of my arrival I was checked in and we were off running.  

This race also has a marathon option, 50k option (only one signed up),  and relay option.  The 7am start had about 10 maybe 15 of us, and as they all started - while I knew I was starting at my relaxed warm up pace, I quickly passed everyone I was with which is somewhat of a head mind game worried I was starting too fast.   As I was going, I saw others on their way back for their second loop who did the 6am start and remembered this is a great thing with the out and back kind of loop.

The first part was a bit industrial but nice views every now and then of mt rainier and fun to watch the airplanes right above the tree line, we passed a climbing watch tower on the left and at about a mile and a half there was a nice playground and another watch tower.  We made our way to another open area until we went under the bridge and right along the lake.  This part had a little bit of shade and then as we went along there was a great breeze.  The second 1.5 mile stretch was my favorite part of the lap.  It was a little winding … more river views and probably the breeze made it the most enjoyable.   The entire run was on concrete which we know my thoughts about that but only just before the turn around was a slope noticeable (on the first lap at least).

The turnaround was a small climb with a water stop there. Backing up to the no frills and laid back like an ultra run-  there were two water stations on this race.  One at the start and one at the turn around point.   You bring your own bottles and just refill.   It’s about 6.5 miles for a full lap - 3.25ish for half.  So I figured every 6.5 miles I could refill and be fine.

So I turned around and made it back to the start.  There was this bunny- it was colorful and running in the road alongside me at this one point. I don’t know if I’ve seen a rabbit just like run the distance this one was running - as if it was running the race (they have fast twitch fibers and can run fast but just short distances- this guy was running slower but longer)- not running to hide.   It made me laugh. 

 I got back to the start (end of lap 1) where I took my first gu just before stopping to refill water (and my own electrolyte powder). All the Gus I had were only the normal caffeine levels which I usually like to have 2 of my 4 be double  the caffeine.  My solution to this was I had a Tylenol:caffeine powder packet with me which was extra caffeine and given the pavement pains … I would take that just before the end of my second loop to help. 

Oh the second loop you start noticing all the familiar faces that you will see 8 times or so while running.   When I got back to that open road spot - the bunny was still there ! Just running back and forth, so - since nobody else was around I talked to the bunny as we ‘ran together’.  Just then, some super fast guy passed me.   So … maybe my little bunny chats entertained him.  I wish I took a picture of the bunny!   By the time I slowed and was taking pictures, there were more cars on that road so the bunny was not there.  I swear it was colorful and so unique in its behavior.  

I continued on my way and a guy and I commented on the super fast kid (turns out it was a 19 yrs old - first marathon finished in 2:41).   Also around now I realized I lost my Tylenol/caffeine packet which made me sad.  I stayed on a lookout for it on the course bc I had to have dropped it one of the times I took out my phone or got a gu/electrolyte packet - but I never found it.  

It was getting hotter and the sun was shining brightly as made my way back to the start of the second loop.  By the third loop I started to think maybe I’ll be walking already on this loop.  I also hoped I put enough sunscreen on my face and wondered if my body would burn (it did not) I managed to push it until the half turn around, where I started filling my water at this stop as well.    The thing I kept saying to everyone in small passing talk was ‘great day for a tan!’    Instead of complaining about the heat lol.  

At the half way turn around I walked  for about a minute and then continued on my way telling myself just get to the last loop and then I could do whatever- just soaking up the sun - take it as easy as I wanted.  

So as I was on my last lap I walked a bit after the water refill.  Texted with Tammy and Linnea set a goal for 4:20… and then pushed it to 4:30.  I walked for about 5 minutes drinking my drink, removing my shirt (down to sports bra) and texting with Joe as well as Tammy a bit more.  And then at a slower pace, I continued on. When I made it to the turn around, I figured 4:20 was back in sites and did my best to minimize walking.  With two miles to go I sent a final text to Joe asking for a Diet Coke when I got back to our Seattle home (when it’s hot, I always crave soda on my runs) and shot a quick text to Kat then made my way to the finish.

I realized I never really cramped til the end and it wasn’t too bad as I refilled my water bottle 5 times total. 

Once I finished I chatted with the race director some, changed into dry clothes - realized my thighs chaffed and my pants were hot and hurting it  so I pulled up my pants.  As I waited for my uber I kept adjusting my pants and apparently a bee was on me as I got stung on the finger!   The sting hurt more than the chaffing for about 5 minutes but the chaffing definitely takes the cake on what hurt most lol.

While there was no medal, when I got to our Seattle home, Sophia had made me a medal, I plan on putting a string around and hanging with my other medals. 

When the race results came in, of the 28 who started 21 finished the entire race.  Maybe it was the heat- maybe it was because it was easy to quit after each loop.   The race directors gave credit for anyone who completed  one two three or four loops (and looking at results it appears someone did a 5th loop) We will pretend it was the heat … and that’s why 4:13 is outside of my norm 4 hour marathons. It is the slowest race so far in my 40s which I’ll take as a win in general.  

I was the 5th overall to finish the marathon distance, 1st female.  Not that anyone is tracking lol.  

This race was more about the family vacation and enjoyment of running - the victory lap of a really fun training season.   We all had a great time and Sophia would like to go back sometime but is also looking forward to exploring the rest of my 6 states.  

Since the plan is one a year, I’m not sure what to do with myself for the rest of 2025!  Of course I’ll find time to get at least one 20 mile run in over the summer. Kat sent me a half marathon I’m considering for some fun social time.   Reena is getting into triathlons this year so while we will run, maybe I’ll bike some with her, and have Linnea keep pushing me on the 8:30 and faster 10 mile runs.  I guess for now I’ll focus on my recovery week and go from there! 

6 states left!

Utah

Wyoming 

Arkansa

New Jersey

New Hampshire 

Maine (tagged for last) 

I Lived

 I Lived

 State 43- Mississippi 

Stennis space center marathon  

4:02:11

3rd place overall women 

1st place 40-45 female

Since the last marathon we moved but stayed close to my main running path and actually a little closer to it.   It’s weird because even though my running routes are the same - they are different as I have had to recalibrate turn arounds and mental notes of - how long it feels.  An old out and back for me of 10 miles only gets me about 7 now.   But since I used to be further from the path, an old 3 mile out and back only gets me 4.   It’s great that I’m  more on the path and no stop lights to have to stop at near the end, but still an adjustment.

This year I’ve also been able to add back a social part of running.   Tammy and I have kept to long distance accountability buddies but now I’m also adding back nearby partners.   It’s not like the good ole days were I was almost always running with a friend but given now I have less flexibility on when I run - I’m so happy with the miles I get with friends at whatever pace.   The three that fill my heart with so much joy this year:

Reena- a mom from mca. Her son was a year older than Sophia so we would see each other at drop off/pick up.  She started training for the Chicago marathon. After the third time of running into each other we finally exchanged numbers.   It was so fun to grow a friendship while logging miles. And great to watch her achieve her goal to run the marathon!!!! 

Alison-   One of my best friends from downtown life! My inspiration to do the Ironman, an old regular running, biking and swimming friend.   She moved close enough to my main running path to be a quick visit on a 17 mile turn around and anything greater than that she could run with me!  I’m so happy they moved and that I get to see her more!   And while Sophia and Madeline met as infants and Sophia seemed so young compared to Madeline -10 months older than her - now they are the same grade and have such similar hearts!

Linnea- While Elly is younger than Sophia, Sophia took her under her wing like her little sister at MCA.  What started out as playdates for them has turned into another amazing mommy friend.   Bonus we both would love to multitask  playdates into mommy workout (we really need to do this!).  Linnea is much faster than me but I Love the push to get fast miles in!  Esp when we always get lost in the chat we usually do more miles than anticipated.  

There are others that have become familiar faces on the path  on the rare occasion I will travel short distances and chat randomly and mostly just recognizable hellos.  

That’s the main highlight of training.   I have fallen twice while running in the last year.   Like big bad trips on roots and ripped up knees and hands.   Falling is different in your 40s.   I go on like I did in my 20s but it catches up with you!   Usually 2 months after the ignored fall - running on the out of alignment body just gets worse!   Thank goodness for Dr Sabrina!  

I actually think yoga was making my fall injury worse at the end because I was so out of alignment that the stretches weren’t doing what they were supposed to be doing.   After two adjustments yoga became beneficial  again.    Dr Sabrina doesn’t understand why I don’t come in right after the fall - not when my hips are so out of alignment and twisted that my body can’t even lay face down normally on the table.  .. hopefully there isn’t a fall for a long while but lesson learned - come in sooner rather than later! 

 Age is something you can’t ignore but you can take care of.   My knees are doing fine except for when Dr Sabrina pointed out the one was so swollen from ignoring the fall (trickle effect down my entire body and now all fixed), child’s pose isnt a 20s or non runner yogi kind of way, my ankle is tight and then apparently I have a bulging disc in my lower back that can flare up and create both lower back issues and hip issues.   But Dr Sabrina also equips me with quick exercises to do hourly when it’s at its worst and otherwise throughout  and it helps so much. Different ones for different pains because I have a lot!

This is just the reality of getting older.  Overall, I still forget I’m not 20 and am active and can be a fun mom for Sophia. 

Also the cross training is more important than ever before!

Now let’s talk mileage- this year I ended up with one 20 and two 22 milers before this race.   The 20 felt great for the first 17 miles but this was the run before getting adjusted. 

Then both 22 milers were great! The first was just going to be 20 and then … it was a good day so… I went to 22.   I think adding 20 minutes immediately after to stretch helped and perhaps the nutrition and hydration and not going too fast- averaging between 9 and 9:30 including walking as I socialized with Alison in the middle miles.

I think I added too much house work on Veterans Day (2nd 22 miler) because while my legs were fine, I threw out my back (and see above!).  But alas - Dr Sabrina to the rescue! 

1.5 week taper, and we were off to NOLA- while the marathon was in Mississippi it was just over the border- 45 min from NOLA so we could have a fun family vacation and cross off a state! 

We arrived Thanksgiving day- and while we had a car reserved -they were all out of cars for me and everyone else who reserved one on Thanksgiving day!!!  A little bump in the road, but we just ubered to our place and hoped for the best- getting one within our first 24 hours of us being in NOLA- the only issue was the airport was 25 min away, and not convenient at all when our trip was short enough.  They actually called mid Thanksgiving dinner out to eat and an amazing restaurant - Lula - with an electric car.  I said thanks but no thanks since I have no clue how I would get that charged.   Friday morning I called many coscto and budget customer service options (I should say- I also was trying to make this as convenient as possible for us from the start- and learned they didn’t have an Avis preferred /speedy at NOLA option so I went with budget .., aka we learned our lesson once when we paid more for the ‘better brand’ and had to stand in the same line - I will always research this! See the last marathon write up 🤣).

So Friday morning at 7:30 I learned they had cars!! We got a car by 8:30 and most of our vacation day was not interrupted - and we could also drive to city park for the afternoon. 

When I wasn’t sure I would have a car for the race- I posted it on the 50 marathon state and I did find a back up option with an awesome woman also in town, staying in NOLA and heading to the race the morning of- Kim- more on her later :)

Alas I had a car- I was packed and ready to wake up and hug my sweet family and head to Mississippi at 6:15 on Saturday morning.   The drive was easy as over the bridge- beautiful! 

   The security line to get into the space center was longer than they advised.   It took about 30 min to get through - you have to show your id to see you are on the list to enter and proof of car insurance.   Once through I just followed the car in front of me and hoped I found  my way to the start.  Because security was moving so slow they pushed the race 30 minutes.   So I had some time to lollygag.

It was cold - in the 30s which is not normal for this time of year there, and so I spent half the time in the car, and then decided to put on some makeup.  

I wasn’t sure what exactly I wanted to wear because it was so much colder than anticipated.   I texted with Linnea some - part of the problem is I felt bad doing a throw away on the base.   I guess  I could have strategically thrown it at a water stop but I decided just with a short sleeve and then my long sleeve jacket I brought (my new favorite Joe got me from work (Lifetime) and my short sleeved happened to be a shirt I got from ffc when I taught spin there - ha !

So- without much announcement - when the race was ready to start - off we went.   The  course is known to be flat and all paved.   The biggest thing for me is that - I am not used to an all paved marathon.  It does not feel good and I knew it would be my biggest challenge compared to what I trained on.   But - my body was already struggling this training season so I wasn’t about to add concrete to the beatings on my legs/hips/back.   It would just be the element of challenge this race brought. 

The first mile actually was a little bit down and I took mental note of that.  This race was a combination of a 5k, half marathon and marathon all started at the same time.  

I did my best to start my normal pace and I think I did a good job, maybe a touch faster but it felt good as it always does.  There were little kids running the 5k all out huffing and puffing.  It was so cold for these kids - I wanted to tell this little boy to cover his ears!!! It always helps my breathing in the cold - but he was working so he’d to keep his bigger brother in sight that I don’t think he would have figured out how to use his face thing as an ear warmer.  So I just wished him luck, and then the 5k went straight and the half and full turned.  

I realized in the hour I had waiting for the race to start, that my phone battery was draining  kind of fast.  So I kept my phone /music off for the first hour of the race.   There were two different people  I ran near in this time that had music from a speaker which I appreciated and sparked a short convo with the one guy.   

Also- remember when I mentioned it was paved?  There was definitely a slope to the road one way or another and it was felt early on by me because that stuff hurts in your 40s!   So there came a point where the pavement was actually flat- and I mentioned it to this guy and his son.   The dad (also 50 stater- 3 to go!) agreed with me.  I chatted with them for a bit but went on my way.   This was the son’s first marathon and I was thinking the dad was running his son’s pace to help him accomplish the race later as the son (alone) passed me I realized it was the other way around. 

When I hit just over an hour- I turned on my phone- texted with Joe to check in and put it on airplane mode for hour number 2 - while listening  to music.   At mile 10 I decided I needed to slow it some to try to save energy at the end.   Training has been slow start, relaxed middle and then a kick in the second half, so I wanted to try to mimic that.  As I slowed I started to get passed and it kinda upset me - I didn’t know if it was half marathoners or marathoners.  But as I approached mile 12 the marathon turned and half went straight.   I was the only in my viewable area one who turned.  I thought - wow this is lonely and at least it was the half people who were passing me.  

I kept going - all alone.  I hit the half at about 1:54 and thought - okay a sub 4 might be possible. So I decided to try to pick it up just to give more room.  Mile 14 was an 8:20 and the next an 8:30 but then - I guess my legs didn’t like this idea and I could feel the cramps- so I had to not push it on them.   

About mile 17 - when I was still sub 9 minute miles-  a girl passed me.   And I was like ahhh no!!  Am I really slipping !?  I kept her in sight until about mile 21 but never in a place to catch up.   I also realized in a few sections where it was out /back I didn’t see any other women in front of me so I realized there is a chance I could be placing.

Around mile 20 I also took inventory of who was behind me - I think at that point the next girl was about 1.5 miles behind me.  

So while I was hoping for a sub 4 as usual, I was also thinking - just don’t let any more girls pass you!!!!

With 6 miles to go I knew I just needed a 10 minute mile- but those cramps were really something.  I also stopped twice at water stops to get my water bottle refilled and that hurt!! It was pretty abrupt / not really efficient.  By mile 23 the 10 minute started to slip to slower with short breaks as the cramps were in control.  If I looked back behind me they would Charlie horse and I tried to run in the long grass for softer terrain at one point but it was too late and the uneven terrain = Charlie horse.  I texted Tammy with 2 miles to go still in hopes I could just muster through.  Also somewhere in the last 5 miles-  my eyes watered so much that the make up I put on got on my contact and I could not see well out of my left eye. That really messed with me (I had to remove it after and pour water on it to wipe it clean to see out of it - it took 4 times of this in an hour before being able to safely drive ‘home’).  By 1 mile to go I told Tammy it’s not happening sub 4 but close enough.   I did not cross the finish looking like a 4 hour marathon but I crossed it and it turns out I was the third female to cross it and took first for my age. 

This is when I actually met Kim- the woman who would have gotten me to the start from NOLA if I never got my rental car, and the female who passed me around mile 17.  The 50 states community is a strong and small world I guess!   Her daughter also placed in the 5k so the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.  Maybe Sophia will want to run a 5K while I do a marathon one day!    We hung out until we got our awards.   

This race had me remembering one of my favorite marathons (NOLA), and my Mississippi marathon  first attempt (when there was ice so the plane couldn’t land), and Oklahoma - my makeup state with an airline credit since I never made it to Mississippi. 

Oklahoma and Mississippi are now the two  marathons I have placed in. 

Also thinking  of all the friends I have traveled with through the years.  Esp NOLA - Rachel J(P), Alexis, Mike and Christine  and Mississippi first attempt with Kristen - a crazy 24 hours of travel, getting to stay the night at Rachel A’s in Georgia as a bonus! 

The memories and friends made are such a staple to what makes this journey so great!   I definitely have lived!    

…7 states to go